Speakers

Below are featured speakers of the
2020 Gun Violence Prevention Forum.

Portrait of Michael Dowling

Michael Dowling

President and CEO
Northwell Health

Michael Dowling is one of healthcare’s most influential voices, taking a stand on societal issues such as gun violence and immigration that many health system CEOs shy away from. As president and CEO of Northwell Health, he leads a clinical, academic and research enterprise with a workforce of more than 83,000 and annual revenue of $16.5 billion. Northwell is the largest health care provider and private employer in New York State, caring for more than two million people annually through a vast network of more than 890 outpatient facilities, including 220 primary care practices, 52 urgent care centers, home care, rehabilitation and end-of-life programs, and 21 hospitals.

Northwell also pursues pioneering research at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and a visionary approach to medical education highlighted by the Zucker School of Medicine, the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies, and one of the nation’s largest medical residency and fellowship programs.

Mr. Dowling’s leadership has been invaluable to Northwell’s consistent expansion and prominence. In 2020, he successfully navigated the health system through the first COVID-19 epicenter in the US, detailing his experiences in Leading Through a Pandemic: The Inside Story of Humanity, Innovation, and Lessons Learned During the COVID-19 Crisis. Overall, Northwell has treated more than 350,000 COVID patients, and the health system utilized a strong innovative culture to expand hospital bed capacity (adding 2,000 beds in two weeks), 3D-print nasal swabs for COVID testing, convert bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) machines into mechanical ventilators and take advantage of its large, integrated health system to “load balance” and transport 810 patients from overrun hospitals to those that had bed capacity. Northwell also kept employees safe, investing in critical personal protective equipment to help those working the front lines, one of whom—Sandra Lindsay—was the first person in the US to receive the historic COVID vaccine in December 2020.

Prior to becoming president and CEO in 2002, Mr. Dowling was the health system’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. Before joining Northwell Health in 1995, he was a senior vice president at Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Mr. Dowling served in New York State government for 12 years, including seven years as state director of Health, Education and Human Services and deputy secretary to the governor. He was also commissioner of the New York State Department of Social Services.

Before his public service career, Mr. Dowling was a professor of social policy and assistant dean at the Fordham University Graduate School of Social Services, and director of the Fordham campus in Westchester County.

Mr. Dowling has been honored with many awards over the years. In 2020, he received the Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad, which recognizes individuals for their contributions to Ireland and to Irish communities abroad, presented by the President of Ireland. He has received an honorary fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and is a board member of the Foreign Policy Association. In 2017, he was selected as the Grand Marshal of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City; received the Presidential Distinguished Service Award for Irish Abroad and was inducted to the Irish America Hall of Fame. He also has received the 2012 B’nai B’rith National Healthcare Award, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the 2011 Gail L. Warden Leadership Excellence Award from the National Center for Healthcare Leadership and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society. In 2020, Mr. Dowling received the Deming Cup from the Columbia School of Business.

In 2011, Modern Healthcare magazine awarded Mr. Dowling with the CEO Information Technology Award. He also was ranked first in Modern Healthcare’s 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare list in 2022, a list on which he has appeared 16 times.  

Additional awards include the National Human Relations Award from the American Jewish Committee, the Distinguished Public Service Award from the State University of New York’s Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, an Outstanding Public Service Award from the Mental Health Association of New York State, an Outstanding Public Service Award from the Mental Health Association of Nassau County, the Alfred E. Smith Award from the American Society for Public Administration, the Gold Medal from the American Irish Historical Society and the Foreign Policy Association Medal, which is the highest honor bestowed by the organization. He was also ranked No. 44 among large company CEOs in the US and was the nation’s top-ranking health care/hospital CEO on Glassdoor’s Top CEOs in 2019 list.

Mr. Dowling is past chair of the Healthcare Institute and the current chair of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). He is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Sciences and the North American Board of the Smurfit School of Business at University College, Dublin, Ireland. He also serves as a board member of the Long Island Association. He is past chair and a current board member of the National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL), the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA), the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) and the League of Voluntary Hospitals of New York. Mr. Dowling was an instructor at the Center for Continuing Professional Education at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Mr. Dowling grew up in Limerick, Ireland. He earned his undergraduate degree from University College Cork (UCC), Ireland, and his master’s degree from Fordham University. He also has honorary doctorates from Queen’s University Belfast, University College Dublin, Hofstra University, Dowling College and Fordham University.

Portrait of Sen. Chris Murphy

Sen. Chris Murphy

United States Senator
Connecticut

Chris Murphy, the junior United States Senator for Connecticut, has dedicated his career to public service as an advocate for Connecticut families. Senator Murphy has been a strong voice in the Senate fighting for job creation, affordable health care, education, sensible gun laws, and a forward-looking foreign policy.

As a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) Senator Murphy has worked to make college more affordable and ensure that our public education system works to serve all students. Senator Murphy also led a bipartisan effort to reform our mental health system, working across the aisle to craft the first comprehensive reform to our nation’s mental health laws in decades. 

Senator Murphy has laid out a forward-thinking foreign policy vision for the United States. As a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, he has been an outspoken proponent of diplomacy, international human rights and the need for clear-eyed American leadership abroad.  

Following the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school in 2012, Senator Murphy became one of the leading proponents of commonsense reforms to reduce gun violence. He has championed a number of bipartisan bills aimed at expanding background checks and keeping guns out of the hands of criminals.

As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Murphy has fought to increase investments in Connecticut manufacturing and promote procurement of world-class national defense products made in the state. He has fought to expand American manufacturing and create jobs through his Buy American initiative, which urges the U.S. government to spend taxpayer dollars on American-made goods. Additionally, Senator Murphy has worked in partnership with local city and town leaders to rehabilitate former brownfields and factory sites so that they can be developed into new community spaces and businesses.  

Prior to his election to the U.S. Senate, Murphy served Connecticut’s Fifth Congressional District for three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. During his time in the House, Murphy worked to improve access to housing for homeless veterans, foster job creation and advocate for affordable healthcare for all Americans. Murphy authored the Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act to revitalize housing programs for people with disabilities. The bill was signed into law by the president in 2010. 

Before getting elected to Congress, Murphy served for eight years in the Connecticut General Assembly where he was the author of the state’s historic stem cell investment legislation and the state’s workplace smoking ban. Senator Murphy grew up in Wethersfield, Connecticut, and attended Williams College in Massachusetts. He graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Law and practiced real estate and banking law with the firm of Ruben, Johnson & Morgan in Hartford, Connecticut.

He is married to Catherine Holahan, an attorney. They have two young sons, Owen and Rider, and a cat, Ramona.

Portrait of Debbie Salas-Lopez, MD, MPH

Debbie Salas-Lopez, MD, MPH

SVP, Community and Population Health
Northwell Health

As senior vice president of community and population health, Debbie Salas-Lopez, MD, MPH, oversees Northwell Health’s community and public health strategy, including community health equity, community relations, strategic community partnerships, Corporate Social Responsibility, and the Community Health Needs Assessment.  

Dr. Salas-Lopez’s leadership was critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. She and her team partnered with many community and faith-based leaders to identify their most-pressing needs.  This became the catalyst for the creation of Northwell’s Health Equity Taskforce comprised of over 100 community, faith, and tribal nation leaders that today continue to work on health equity and social issues that impact health. 

Dr. Salas-Lopez joined Northwell in 2019 as senior vice president for transformation, responsible for system value-based initiatives that improve health and care delivery. She assumed her leadership role after serving as the chief transformation officer at Lehigh Valley Health Network, where she led strategy and oversaw a unique and broad portfolio, including community-based and population health initiatives, telehealth, connected care, and innovation, strategic partnerships, and operational redesigning of the clinical delivery system. 

At Lehigh Valley, Dr. Salas-Lopez held various academic and clinical leadership positions. In 2009, she was appointed as the Leonard Parker Pool Chair of Medicine, a role she served in until 2015 when she became an associate chief medical officer. In 2017, she was appointed chief transformation officer for Lehigh Valley Health Network. Academically, she was a professor of medicine at the University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine and the College of Public Health. She is a fellow of the American College of Physicians. 

She has collaborated with many community and faith-based organizations on issues related to social needs, prevention, health disparities, and healthcare access. She has led initiatives to improve quality of care and the health of the community, reduce costs, and provide better care coordination. 

Dr. Salas-Lopez is a nationally recognized speaker and educator on women leaders, healthcare disparities and equity in care, cultural awareness and language-appropriate services, and the impact of social and economic factors on health. In 2021, Modern Healthcare named her to its annual Top 25 Women Leaders as a “Woman to Watch.”  She also received the 2021 Tribute to Excellence in Health Care award from the United Hospital Fund. Dr. Salas-Lopez was recognized in 2021 by the Hospital Association of New York State with a Community Health Improvement Award. She also has earned a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Leadership Award, the Long Island Coalition for Homeless Key of Excellence Award and the 2021 Empire Whole Health Heroes Award. 

Portrait of Chethan Sathya, MD, MSc

Chethan Sathya, MD, MSc

Trauma Surgeon and Director, Center for Gun Violence Prevention
Northwell Health

As director of Northwell Health’s Center for Gun Violence Prevention, Chethan Sathya, MD, oversees the health system’s expansive approach to firearm injury and mortality prevention. Northwell, which established the center as the first of its kind in 2019, has taken a public health approach to gun violence, focusing on key areas such as research, education (health care workers, nurses, medical students, residents), advocacy and community engagement.

Dr. Sathya is a powerful voice and advocate for firearm injury prevention. His role as a pediatric trauma surgeon exposed him to the dramatic and irresponsible results of gun violence, which has fueled his passion to find solutions to the national issue. Among his goals, Dr. Sathya is leveraging Northwell’s diverse patient population and wide reach to implement preventative strategies and perform high-level research. He has presented on gun violence prevention in various forums and in top media outlets such as CNN, Scientific American, The Washington Post, CBC and Huffington Post, among others.

Dr. Sathya also serves as associate trauma director at Cohen Children’s and he’s an assistant professor of surgery and pediatrics at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He completed medical school and general surgery training at the University of Toronto, followed by Pediatric Surgery Fellowship at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago. He also holds a master’s in clinical epidemiology from the University of Toronto, in addition to completing a fellowship in global journalism at the Munk School of Global Affairs in Toronto. He is active in trauma research and works closely with the American College of Surgeons on trauma quality improvement initiatives.

During his clinical training in Chicago, he treated numerous children and babies with firearm injuries and now continues to do the same in New York. As a surgeon-journalist with firsthand experience pulling bullets out of children – many of who die – Dr. Sathya has a unique perspective and deep routed passion in telling the stories of children affected by gun violence.

He has been an invited speaker at a number of prestigious events, including the American Hospital Association Leadership Summit on Violence Prevention and the Healthcare Association of New York State symposium on best practices in gun violence prevention, where he was the keynote speaker. He’s also a consultant to the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, serving as a core member of the Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) taskforce and the national firearm injury data collection initiative. Dr. Sathya also serves as a member of the Canadian Doctors for Protection from Guns Executive Committee.

Portrait of David Battinelli, MD

David Battinelli, MD

Executive Vice President & Physician-In-Chief
Northwell Health

David Battinelli, MD, is transitioning from his role as senior vice president and chief medical officer where he was responsible for the overall professional management of clinical, education, research and operational issues related to medical and clinical affairs. He is assuming the role of physician-in-chief in the coming weeks as Northwell Health’s senior physician on all clinical, research and education issues.

While CMO he also served as the chief operating officer for the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research where he oversaw all operational and budgetary issues for Northwell’s research enterprise growing extramural funding and endowments while improving overall efficiency and research productivity.

Previously, he also served as the health system’s chief academic officer and senior vice president of academic affairs, in charge of all undergraduate and graduate educational programs, all continuing medical education, and academic affairs and institutional relationships. Dr. Battinelli is also vice dean and the Betsey Cushing Whitney Professor of Medicine at the Zucker School of Medicine and will be assuming the role of Dean this summer. A founding member of the SOM he previously he served as the dean for medical education and chaired the committee charged with developing the curriculum for the new medical school.

A board-certified internist, Dr. Battinelli came to Northwell Health from Boston Medical Center (BMC), where he served as vice chair for education, program director, internal medicine residency program and professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine. He was also an active staff physician at BMC and the Boston Veterans Administration.

Dr. Battinelli is a past president of the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine. He has worked closely with and served on numerous committees for a variety of national medical organizations including the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine, American College of Physicians, and the Accreditation Committee on Graduate Medical Education, among others. In addition, he has lectured extensively on clinical education, faculty development of teaching skills and internal medicine, and is a noted speaker and author on these subjects.

Dr. Battinelli earned his medical degree from the Rutgers School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, NJ, and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Scranton. He completed his residency and chief residency at the Boston City Hospital.

Portrait of Errol Louis

Errol Louis

Inside City Hall Host
Spectrum News NY1

Errol Louis is the Political Anchor of Spectrum News NY1, where he hosts “Inside City Hall,” a nightly prime-time show that focuses on New York politics.

He regularly interviews top political and cultural leaders, and has moderated more than two dozen debates, including the race for mayor, public advocate, city and state comptroller, state Attorney General and the U.S. Senate.  He also was a panelist in a 2016 Democratic presidential debate in Brooklyn between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

Additionally, Louis is an adjunct professor of Urban Reporting at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism.

Prior to joining Spectrum News NY1, Louis served on the Daily News’ editorial board, and he still pens weekly opinion columns for the newspaper. He also hosted a weekday talk show on AM1600 WWRL.

A graduate of New Rochelle High School, Louis attended Harvard College, where he graduated with a B.A. in Government. He also earned an M.A. in Political Science from Yale University and a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School.

Portrait of Peter Ambler

Peter Ambler

Executive Director
Giffords

Peter Ambler currently serves as the executive director of Giffords: Courage to Fight Gun Violence, which he co-founded with Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, Captain Mark Kelly. Over the past few years, Giffords has emerged as a leader in the gun violence prevention movement, inspiring Americans from all walks of life to take action on our nation’s gun violence epidemic. Giffords has helped advance gun safety and defeat the gun lobby’s dangerous agenda in elections, legislatures, and courts across the country, keeping the issue at the forefront of public consciousness and amplifying the voices of the many Americans calling for change.

In his capacity as executive director, Peter has guided the growth of the organization from a start-up in Washington DC to a national group with offices and staff across the country. As Giffords has expanded, Peter has overseen the organization’s defining moments as it has challenged the NRA’s dominance, changed the politics and culture of guns, won elections, and passed legislation as part of the fight for gun safety. Peter worked closely with Senate leaders on the 2013 Manchin-Toomey background check bill and with the Obama White House on the 2016 gun safety executive actions, developed and implemented innovative advertising and electoral campaigns in elections across the country, oversaw the organization’s support for the over 300 gun safety laws that have passed since Sandy Hook, and built coalitions of prominent supporters that contribute to the mission of Giffords.

As a spokesperson for the organization, Peter has been widely featured in national media, including the Washington Post, the New York Times, Politico, Newsweek, the Huffington Post, and the Hill, among many others.

Prior to co-founding Giffords, Peter spent many years advising Members of Congress and working in the Obama administration. He worked for then-Representative Giffords in 2011 when she was shot at a Tucson supermarket during a constituent event. He is a graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.

 

Portrait of Michael R. Bloomberg

Michael R. Bloomberg

Co-founder, Everytown for Gun Safety
Founder, Bloomberg LP & Bloomberg Philanthropies

Michael R. Bloomberg is an entrepreneur and three-term mayor of New York City whose innovations in business, government, and philanthropy have made him a global leader on climate change, public health, education, and other critical issues facing America and the world.

Born in Boston on February 14, 1942, Bloomberg grew up in a middle-class home in Medford, Massachusetts. His drive to succeed, love of work, and passion for service began at a young age. When he was 12 years old he became one of the youngest Eagle Scouts in history. To help pay his way through Johns Hopkins University, he worked in a parking lot and took out government loans. After college, he attended Harvard Business School and in 1966 was hired by a financial services firm, Salomon Brothers, for an entry-level job.

Bloomberg quickly rose through the ranks at Salomon, overseeing equity trading and sales before heading up the firm’s information systems. When Salomon was acquired in 1981, he was let go. It turned out to be a moment that would define the rest of his life. The next day, with the idea for a technology company that would bring greater transparency and fairness to the financial system, he launched a small startup in a one-room office. Today, Bloomberg LP is a global company that employs some 20,000 people in 120 countries.

In 2001, just weeks after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Bloomberg was elected mayor of New York City. He and his team rallied New Yorkers and led the city’s resurgence, writing one of the great comeback stories in American history. He turned around a broken public school system by raising standards and making new investments in schools. He spurred economic growth and record levels of job creation by revitalizing old industrial areas, helping small businesses open and expand, and connecting New Yorkers to new skills and jobs. Thanks to policies he put in place, the city recovered from the global recession far faster and stronger than the country overall.

Mayor Bloomberg’s passion for public health led to ambitious new strategies that became national models, including a ban on smoking in all indoor workplaces, as well as at parks and beaches. Life expectancy grew by three years during his time in office. He also launched cutting-edge anti-poverty efforts, including the Young Men’s Initiative and the Center for Economic Opportunity, whose ground-breaking programs have been replicated across the country. As a result, New York City’s welfare rolls fell 25 percent, and New York was the only big city in the country not to experience an increase in poverty between 2000 and 2012.

Mayor Bloomberg also created innovative plans to fight climate change and promote sustainable development, which helped cut the city’s carbon footprint by 13 percent. He was a strong champion of the city’s cultural community, expanding support for artists and arts organizations and helping to bring more than 500 permanent public art commissions to all five boroughs.

Upon leaving City Hall, Bloomberg returned to the company he founded while also devoting more time to philanthropy, which has been a top priority for him throughout his career. Today, Bloomberg Philanthropies employs a unique data-driven approach to global change that grows out of his experiences as an entrepreneur and mayor. Bloomberg has pledged to give away nearly all his money during his lifetime and has so far donated more than $9.5 billion to a wide variety of causes and organizations.

In addition to Bloomberg Philanthropies’ five areas of focus – public health, arts and culture, the environment, education, and government innovation – Bloomberg continues to support projects of great importance to him, including his alma mater, Johns Hopkins University. He served as chairman of the board of trustees from 1996 to 2001, and the university’s School of Hygiene and Public Health is named the Bloomberg School of Public Health in recognition of his commitment and support. In 2018, he gave $1.8 billion to allow Johns Hopkins to permanently accept and enroll students without regard to their ability to pay – the largest gift in the history of American higher education.

Bloomberg has continued to be one of America’s most fearless and effective voices on urgent issues including climate change, gun violence, and public health. The gun safety group he helped found, Everytown for Gun Safety, now has more than six million supporters and is the largest coalition of Americans fighting for common-sense gun laws. His partnership with the Sierra Club has shut down more than half the nation’s coal-fired power plants and replaced many of them with clean energy, saving many lives and creating many new jobs.

Bloomberg served as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Action, charged with galvanizing the efforts of local and regional governments, businesses, and civil society. He also served as the World Health Organization’s Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries, supporting the organization’s push to achieve UN goals of reducing premature NCD deaths by one-third by 2030 and halving the number of road deaths and injuries by 2020.

In 2020, Bloomberg ran for president to defeat Donald Trump, return integrity, honesty, and competence to the White House, and make progress on the greatest challenges facing America. His campaign followed on the heels of his efforts to flip 21 House seats from red to blue in the 2018 midterm elections and to give Democrats control of Virginia’s state government in 2019 for the first time in a generation. Although his presidential campaign came up short, he remains committed to defeating Trump by supporting the Democratic nominee and other Democrats down ballot and getting the country back on track.

Bloomberg is the father of two daughters, Emma and Georgina, and a grandfather to Zelda and Jasper.

Portrait of Andre Campbell, MD, FACS, FACP, FCCM

Andre Campbell, MD, FACS, FACP, FCCM

Trauma Surgeon, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital; Professor of Surgery & Vice Chair, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
UCSF

Andre Campbell, M.D. is currently professor of surgery at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine and an attending trauma surgeon at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. He. is also Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Department of Surgery.

Campbell attended Harvard University where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology in 1980. He attended medical school at the University of California, San Francisco and received his MD degree in 1985. His formal training was at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. Campbell is fully trained in internal medicine, general surgery, and surgical critical care. He has been on the faculty at University of California, San Francisco based at San Francisco General Hospital for the past 23 years. His research and clinical interest has been the ICU care of trauma patients, acute lung injury after trauma, the abdominal compartment syndrome, and surgical education.

Campbell is the one of the most decorated surgical educators at UCSF. He has received numerous awards from medical school students at the School of Medicine. His educational accomplishments have been celebrated both locally at UCSF and nationally. He was recognized for his educational accomplishments as a founding member of the Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators. In addition, in 2003, he was appointed Endowed Chair of Surgical Education at University of California, San Francisco for two five year terms. He was previously the long time diirector of the third year medical student undergraduate education program all the UCSF hospitals. Campbell has directed the Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco for 18 years and has trained many fellows who now practice trauma, surgical critical care and acute care surgery around the United States and the World. He has also served as Medical Director of the Trauma Intensive Care Unit at San Francisco General Hospital.

Portrait of Lloyd Dean

Lloyd Dean

Chief Executive Officer
CommonSpirit Health

Lloyd H. Dean is dedicated to preserving and expanding health care access for all. A health care visionary, Mr. Dean leads with compassion and is guided by the belief that the healing power of humanity can bring communities together to support a healthy future for everyone.

During his tenure as President/CEO at Dignity Health, Mr. Dean transformed the health system from a holding company to a dynamic health enterprise with 41 hospitals and over 400 care centers, including neighborhood hospitals, urgent care facilities, surgery and imaging centers, home health, and primary care clinics. He also led Dignity Health’s broad, innovative partnerships that helped create more positive patient experiences, more efficient care and services, and healthy communities. Mr. Dean is a member of the Health Affairs Council on Health Care Spending and Value and American Heart CEO Roundtable.

Mr. Dean has dedicated his career to eliminating the social disparities of health that are the root problems behind so many health issues.

Portrait of John Feinblatt

John Feinblatt

President
Everytown for Gun Safety

John Feinblatt is president of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the United States. He is a senior advisor to former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, and, in addition to his role at Everytown, has led Bloomberg’s efforts on immigration reform, infrastructure investment, and marriage equality. During the twelve years of the Bloomberg administration, Feinblatt held the position of New York City criminal justice coordinator and in 2010 was appointed to be the mayor’s chief policy advisor. Prior to joining New York City Hall, he was founding director of the Center for Court Innovation and the founding director of Midtown Community Court.

Portrait of Representative Brian Fitzpatrick

Representative Brian Fitzpatrick

United States Congressman,
Pennsylvania's First District

After dedicating his professional life to service and protecting others, Brian Fitzpatrick was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2016 to represent the people of Pennsylvania’s Eighth Congressional District. Following redistricting in 2018, Congressman Fitzpatrick was elected to represent the people of Pennsylvania’s First District which includes all of Bucks County and a portion of northwestern Montgomery County. His top priorities in Congress are increasing economic opportunity and keeping our nation safe.

A Levittown native and graduate of Bishop Egan High School, Brian is a graduate of LaSalle University, Penn State University and the Dickinson School of Law. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant, Emergency Medical Technician as well as an attorney – having previously served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney focused on drug crimes.

For 14 years prior to running for Congress, Brian served our country as an FBI Supervisory Special Agent fighting political corruption and supporting global counterterrorism efforts – including being embedded with U.S. Special Forces as part Operation Iraqi Freedom. Working to promote freedom and democracy, Brian also served as National Director for the FBI’s Campaign Finance and Election Crimes Enforcement Program and as a national supervisor for the FBI’s Political Corruption Unit where he is recognized as an expert in restoring integrity to governmental institutions. For his work, Brian was an inaugural recipient of the FBI Director’s Leadership Award in 2015 and was named “Investigator of the Year by the Federal Law Enforcement Foundation.

In the 116th Congress, Brian is a member of the Foreign Affairs and Transportation and Infrastructure committees. Brian is the founding member of the Congressional Citizen Legislature Caucus, a bipartisan group of lawmakers committed to fighting for term limits and Congressional reforms, and a member of the No Labels ‘Problem Solver Caucus.’

Portrait of Erica Ford

Erica Ford

Chief Executive Officer
LIFE Camp, Inc

An internationally-recognized and widely-respected peacemaker, Erica Ford has been at the forefront of reducing youth and community violence in New York City and beyond for over 30 years.

Believing in the power of partnership, Erica has championed personal and systemic approaches to conflict resolution worldwide. Through LIFE Camp, Inc.’s groundbreaking programs, Erica has empowered thousands of individuals and families to break the cycle of violence and promote peace. Erica’s concept for increasing safety has been adopted and implemented by New York City resulting in a 10% reduction in violence citywide.

Through the years, Erica’s dedication to reducing violence among New Yorkers has garnered countless awards, accolades and praise by notable public figures such as former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Oprah Winfrey and hip hop mogul Russell Simmons. Her recognized leadership has brought extensive travel and teaching opportunities in prisons, community centers, high schools, college campuses and conferences throughout the world.

Erica Ford is widely respected as one of the most diligent and hardworking activists of her generation. She is uncompromisingly dedicated to improving the lives of Black and Latino youth and the community-at-large.  For more than 30 years, this outstanding leader and internationally recognized peace activist has led the effort to combat violence and inspire youth in devastated communities.

Portrait of Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords

Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords

Founder
Giffords

Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has dedicated her life to public service. As the youngest woman ever elected to the Arizona State Senate, she represented her community in the Arizona Legislature from 2000 to 2005, and then in Congress from 2006 to 2012.

In Washington DC, during the the 2008 financial crash and other crises, Gabby never shied away from tough decisions. That spirit of resiliency, perseverance, and courage is one that resonates around the world. It helped her overcome tragedy, work tirelessly to recover when the odds were stacked against her, and become one of the foremost leaders in the movement to end gun violence. In the House of Representatives, Congresswoman Giffords represented a diverse area that covered 9,000 square miles, including a 114-mile border with Mexico. Considered a rising star by many, she quickly became a leading champion for energy independence and the needs of military families and veterans.

On January 8, 2011, at a “Congress On Your Corner” constituent event in Tucson, Congresswoman Giffords was shot in the head by a gunman who killed six people and injured 12 others. Gabby stepped down from Congress in January 2012 to focus on her recovery. As the nation’s eyes were upon her, Gabby embarked on a courageous journey to regain her ability to speak and walk, inspiring the country with her resilience and optimistic spirit. 

In 2013, after the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT, Congresswoman Giffords and her husband, Navy combat veteran and retired NASA astronaut Captain Mark Kelly, founded the organization today known as Giffords. Over the past several years, the organization has led the national gun safety movement, making gun safety a kitchen table issue for voters. Giffords has helped gun safety champions win up and down the ballot in local, state, and federal races and worked hard to pass lifesaving legislation in states across the country and in the US House of Representatives.

As she leads Giffords, Gabby continues to make remarkable progress in her recovery. She helps raise awareness about aphasia, the language impairment she has suffered from since her shooting. She enjoys spending her free time playing the French horn, biking, practicing yoga, and learning Spanish. Throughout her life, Gabby has sought to improve her community and country by using her extraordinary ability to bring people together to focus on how we can make things better. This trait has made her a powerful public figure in this moment and inspires people every day to take actions of their own to make a difference.  

 

Portrait of Michael S. Harrison

Michael S. Harrison

Police Commissioner
Baltimore Police Department

Michael S. Harrison was sworn in as the Baltimore Police Department’s 41st Commissioner on March 12, 2019. Before coming to Baltimore, Commissioner Harrison served the New Orleans Police Department for nearly three decades. He joined the NOPD in 1991 and ascended steadily through the ranks.  He served in supervisory assignments as an Assistant Commander and Commander of a patrol District and the Specialized Investigations Division of the Public Integrity Bureau. He was appointed to Superintendent in 2014 and led the Department for over four years. 

Commissioner Harrison has been instrumental in the development, implementation and assessment of community policing programs that have led to demonstrably increased partnership and collaboration. Moreover, he is skilled at moving progressive law enforcement bills forward through legislature and effectuating evidence-based crime fighting strategies, many of which assisted in tangible crime reductions. 

Commissioner Harrison was appointed to the Police Executive Research Forum Board of Directors in 2019, where he now serves as the President. He is a member of the Major Cities Chiefs Association and served as both the Central and Eastern Region Representative. Additionally, he is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives and the Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force.

He received a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Phoenix and a Masters of Criminal Justice from Loyola University New Orleans. He is also a graduate of the Senior Management Institute for Police, as well as Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command. He is a graduate of the F.B.I’s National Executive Institute.

He has considerable experience in navigating a policing agency through the rigors of operating under a federal consent decree, having led two large police departments under such oversight.

A firm believer in civic duty, he honorably served eight years with the Louisiana Air National Guard. In 2010, Commissioner Harrison was ordained as a minister at City of Love Church in New Orleans.

Commissioner Harrison has been married to his high school sweetheart since 1992, and they are the loving parents of two adult children. Commissioner Harrison and his wife have made Baltimore home and have become proud residents.

Portrait of Thomas Jackiewicz

Thomas Jackiewicz

President
University of Chicago Medical Center

Tom Jackiewicz is President of the University of Chicago Medical Center and Chief Operating Officer of the UChicago Medicine health system. Joining the system in 2020, Mr. Jackiewicz leads the clinical enterprise, including the integration of the patient care mission of the Medical Center with the education and research missions of the University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division.

Mr. Jackiewicz’s career has focused on executing ambitious and broad transformation in academic environments and engaging physician leaders to drive organizational change. A strategic visionary, Mr. Jackiewicz has ushered in eras of substantial growth and improvement at academic health systems across the country.

During his tenure as CEO of Keck Medicine of USC, he grew University of Southern California’s medical enterprise from two former for-profit hospitals to a $2.2 billion regional academic health system. In 2019 and 2020, Keck Hospital achieved a top 20 ranking on the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals Honor Roll, and in 2018 the nursing program at Keck Hospital achieved Magnet® recognition, the highest national honor for nursing excellence.

Prior to joining USC, Mr. Jackiewicz served as CEO of UC San Diego Health system and associate vice chancellor of UC San Diego Health Sciences. He led the academic health system during a period of major growth and expansion, including development of a foundation model that integrated pediatric faculty with the largest pediatric private practice sub-specialty group in San Diego.

Mr. Jackiewicz has served in several other senior roles for academic health systems, including chief operating officer for Columbia University Medical Center, associate vice chancellor for finance and administration for the UC San Diego School of Medicine, and senior associate chair for finance and administration for the Department of Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine.

He is the former president of the Global Health Data @ Work, which uses data, medical evidence, and professional insights from the world’s best healthcare systems to promote more timely, equitable and effective patient care globally. He is a former board member of the California Hospital Association, the University HealthSystem Consortium (now Vizient), and a former member of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Advisory Panel for Health Care and national chair of the AAMC Group on Business Affairs.

Mr. Jackiewicz earned his master’s degree from Columbia University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia. He is married to Carol Peden, MB ChB, MD, FRCA, FFICM, MPH. Dr. Peden currently serves as a professor of clinical anesthesiology and director for health system innovation at USC, and is a senior associate tutor at the University of Oxford, visiting professor in the Centre for Healthcare Innovation and Improvement at the University of Bath (UK), and vice chair of the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ quality improvement initiative for older surgical patients at risk for cognitive impairment.

 

 

Portrait of Calandrian Simpson Kemp

Calandrian Simpson Kemp

Calandrian Simpson Kemp, a Texas native, is the mother of George Kemp Jr. who was shot and killed in September 2013 in Richmond, TX when he was 20 years old.

Following her son’s death, Kemp has dedicated herself to advocating for common-sense gun laws, ending gun violence, and giving hope to others who are grieving and have the power to affect change. She especially focuses on advocating in communities of color, which are often disproportionately underserved in gun violence prevention education and training.

She founded the online Village of Mothers and Fathers Support Group and The No Weapon #1Life Empowerment Foundation, whose focus is to end gun violence through training and education. She is a volunteer with the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and a founding member of local grassroots organizations to educate young people, including the No More Bloodshed Peace Walk Movement and One Houston One Hood School Empowerment Initiative. Kemp previously worked on the management teams of various non-profit organizations. Calandrian Simpson Kemp has been married for over 20 years to George Kemp Sr. and is the mother of one daughter, a step-mother, and a grandmother of eight. She lives in Houston, TX.

Portrait of Joseph Moscola, PA

Joseph Moscola, PA

Senior Vice President & Chief People Officer
Northwell Health

Joseph Moscola, PA, MBA, is senior vice president and chief people officer for Northwell Health—New York’s largest health care provider and private employer with more than 74,000 employees.

Mr. Moscola has held a number of positions throughout Northwell. He previously served as senior vice president and executive director of Ambulatory Operations. In this role, he oversaw the $1.1 billion ambulatory operation, working with clinical and administrative service line leadership, Northwell Health Physician Partners and clinical joint ventures. During his tenure, Mr. Moscola helped Northwell Health Physician Partners achieve “silver level of distinction” from the Regional Baldrige Performance Excellence Committee. He has also led initiatives to successfully integrate several clinical joint ventures into the health system while expanding its ambulatory footprint.

Mr. Moscola began his career as a physician assistant in cardiothoracic surgery. He later transitioned to an administrative career, serving as administrative director for neuroscience at Southside Hospital, then senior administrative director of neurology and neurosurgery at North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical Center. Previously, Mr. Moscola served as director of health systems operations, where he helped plan and implement strategic programs across the organization.

Holding a bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University, Mr. Moscola earned an MBA from Adelphi University and a physician assistant certificate from Catholic Medical Centers-Bayley Seton Campus. He also graduated as a Fellow of the Health Management Academy.

Aside from his executive role at Northwell, Mr. Moscola is an adjunct professor at St. Joseph’s College (NY), teaching health care management. He serves on the Board of Directors for Farmingdale State College and Nassau Community College, and he is a trustee of the 1199 Pension Fund serving employees for the New York Region.

Portrait of Kelly Sampson

Kelly Sampson

Senior Counsel & Director of Racial Justice
Brady

With a background in litigation, human capital consulting, and diversity and inclusion, Kelly brings a variety of experiences to the Brady Team. In particular, Kelly works to prevent gun violence through cultivating a committed, informed, and effective pro bono attorney network, marshaling Brady’s unique legal expertise to educate the courts on gun violence related cases, and making the connection between gun violence prevention and racial justice. In 2016, Kelly and Jon Lowy co-authored The Right Not To Be Shot: Public Safety, Private Guns, and the Constellation of Constitutional Liberties, published in the Georgetown Journal of Law and Policy. Originally from Detroit, Kelly is especially interested in addressing gun violence’s disproportionate impact on the Black community. Kelly earned a Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Michigan and a J.D from Columbia Law school.

Portrait of Peter L. Slavin, MD

Peter L. Slavin, MD

Professor of Health Policy,
Harvard Medical School;
President
Massachusetts General Hospital

Peter L. Slavin, MD became the President of Massachusetts General Hospital on January 1, 2003.  From 1999-2002, he served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization, which included over 1,700 physicians and employed nearly 1,000 of them.   

From 1997 to 1999, Slavin served as President of Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri.  Before that, he did his training in Internal Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital from 1984 to 1987 and was Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer from 1994 to 1997.

Slavin graduated from Harvard College in 1979, Harvard Medical School in 1984, and Harvard Business School in 1990.

Slavin teaches health care management at Harvard Medical School where he is a Professor of Health Care Policy.

He serves on the Boards of Amwell (a publicly traded telemedicine company) and the University of Miami Health System.

Portrait of David Szuchman

David Szuchman

SVP, Head of Global Financial Crime & Customer Protection
PayPal

As SVP and Head of Global Financial Crimes Compliance and Customer Protection, David is responsible for fulfilling PayPal’s commitment to combat money laundering, terrorism financing, and related financial crimes around the world. Since joining the company in 2016, David has led the transformation of PayPal’s enhanced anti-money laundering and sanctions programs and practices as well as the evolution of the company’s brand risk management and internal investigations functions. In 2019, David expanded his role to oversee consumer risk, resolution and protections, and the customer identification program, expanding the organization to over 3,000 employees across more than 20 sites globally. This expanded remit provides an opportunity to further the company’s efforts to fight fraud, protect PayPal’s customers, and partner with law enforcement globally.

Prior to joining PayPal, David was an Executive Assistant District Attorney and Chief of the Investigation Division at the New York County District Attorney’s (DA’s) Office where he was responsible for supervising the Rackets Bureau, Major Economic Crimes Bureau, Cybercrime and Identity Theft Bureau, Counter Terrorism Program, Financial Frauds Bureau, Tax Crimes Unit, Public Corruption Unit and the Asset Forfeiture Unit. Under David’s leadership and supervision, the investigation division initiated and concluded significant cases against numerous large financial institutions. He also assisted the District Attorney with major initiatives such as the Global Cyber Alliance and the efforts surrounding encryption.

Before he became Chief of the Investigation Division in 2012, David served as Chief of the Cybercrime and Identity Theft Bureau for New York County’s DA’s Office assisting in developing policies and investigative strategies, maintaining relationships with outside agencies and helping to supervise investigations throughout the Division.

David began his legal career at the New York County DA’s Office in 1997 and has subsequently held several notable governmental positions including serving as a federal prosecutor assigned to the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section within the U.S. Justice Department. In 2008, David was appointed as the Director of Consumer Affairs for the State of New Jersey.

David graduated from the University of Vermont with a bachelor’s degree in political science, and received a law degree from Hofstra University School of Law.

 

 

Portrait of Anna Walker

Anna Walker

Vice President of Public Affairs
Levi Strauss & Co.

Anna Walker is the vice president, public affairs at Levi Strauss & Co., supporting LS&Co.’s business strategy and strengthening the company’s reputation by anticipating and shaping external public policy and stakeholder initiatives. Anna also leads LS&Co.’s community affairs program, developing strategy for community grants and employee giving and volunteerism programs globally.  Anna is the chair of board of the U.S. Fashion Industry Association and is a member of the Levi Strauss Foundation Board. She has a masters from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and bachelors of arts degrees from the University of California, Davis.

Portrait of Shannon Watts

Shannon Watts

Founder
Moms Demand Action

Shannon Watts is a mother of five who, prior to founding Moms Demand Action, was a stay-at-home mom and former communications executive. The day after the Sandy Hook tragedy, Shannon started a Facebook group with the message that all Americans can and should do more to reduce gun violence. The online conversation turned into a grassroots movement of Americans fighting for public safety measures that protect people from gun violence. Moms Demand Action has established a chapter in every state of the country and is part of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country, with nearly 6 million supporters. In addition to her work with Moms Demand Action, Watts is an active board member of Emerge America, one of the nation’s leading organizations for recruiting and training women to run for office.